Objectives
To calculate the incidence of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) damage due to lower third
molar extraction and to describe the evolution of IAN sensitivity and the prognosis
of IAN damage based on preoperative data.
Study design
A retrospective study of 4995 lower third molar extractions in 3513 outpatients.
Results
Fifty-five extractions (1.1%) resulted in IAN impairment. Cox regression analysis
showed age to be a risk factor for the persistence of IAN injury due to lower third
molar extraction. The sensation recovery rate was higher in the first 3 months. Fifty
percent of the patients showed full recovery after 6 months.
Conclusions
Most cases of IAN impairment following lower third molar extraction recover within
6 months, though in some cases recovery takes more than 1 year. Older patients are
at an increased risk of incomplete recovery of chin and lip sensibility after third
molar extraction.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 23, 2004
Accepted:
June 2,
2004
Received in revised form:
April 21,
2004
Received:
February 17,
2004
Barcelona, SpainUNIVERSITY OF BARCELONA AND TEKNON MEDICAL CENTERIdentification
Copyright
© 2005 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
